Jeremiah: The Transformation
by Christine Boots Young
Summary: In his arms, she tells her story about how she became a vampire.


Jeremiah: The Transformation

Two nights later and at her apartment…

"How long have you been a vampire, Tabitha?" Jeremiah said, reaching across the bed to her. He gently captured her hand into his. Spreading her fingers out, Jeremiah kissed each tip. "Where are you originally from? Who were you? How did you become a vampire?"

Tabitha slipped her hand from his embrace. Slowly, letting the black satin bed sheet fall from her naked body, she crawled to Jeremiah. Fling the bed sheet off his body, Jeremiah reached for her, embracing her body and laid her down gently onto his chest. Tabitha's hair fell across their bodies; their only covering.

"I am originally from Yorkshire, England, born to a pleasant family. That was so long ago now. I was a scullery maid for a manor in the countryside." She rubbed her cheek on his chest. Jeremiah twisted his long fingers into her hair. The sudden feeling of wetness on his chest caused him to realize she was crying.

"I'm guessing that your transformation is not the romantic kind you hear in faerie tales." Jeremiah said, rising her head from his chest. Reaching up, he kissed the salty droplets off her cheeks. "If it hurts you, then you don't have to tell me, Tabitha. You don't have to." Tabitha rose above his face, sitting her body onto his bare chest. Her hair fell upon his cheeks and his own hair.

"I want you to know me," she kissed his forehead, "like I know you." She kissed his lips gently and moved herself from his body and bed.

Deeper into the woods, the three men dragged her. A servant girl, nineteen years of age, who was hanging out linens to dry, became their prize. When their campsite was in view, the men stopped and dropped the girl onto the ground.

"I should got first, I 'm the one who spotted her first."

"No, I'm the leader! I will have the girl first." The dirtiest man said, ripping the dresses of the girl. With the sound of the ripping cloth, the girl woke from her fright. The girl struggled beneath the leader. With his order, the other two men held her to the ground.

"Please! No!" The girl screamed. To silence her, the leader took his dagger from his boot and held it to her throat. The moment the cold metal pressed against her throat, the girl's screams became light whimpers.

Behind a thick tree truck, a creature watched the scene. The creature closed his eyes, remembering how his own daughter was ravished and taken from him just before the men killed him. Opening his eyes, he remembered the night he awoke from his earthy bed to seek revenge on those men who raped his daughter and killed them.

With a primal growl, the creature leaped from his hiding place. Landing on one of the men, the creature tore off the man's head. The second man was able to grab ahold of the creature's long black hair. The creature turned into the man and thrust his hand into the man's chest. The man's eyes widen as the creature slowly pulled out the heart of his body.

"What the hell?" The leader rose from the girl's body. "Who are you?" The creature jumped towards the leader, causing him to fall onto his back.

"I am death reborn." The creature hissed as he jumped onto the leader. Baring his fangs, the creature buried his face into the leader's neck. Blood flowed into his mouth, acidy from years of drinking ale and impure deeds. The creature didn't want this man's blood; he wanted the man dead. The creature rose up from the leader's body, spitting out the last of his blood.

"Help me." A soft whisper roared into his ears. The girl; the creature turned to see the girl standing. She held her stomach, holding back the flow of her blood from a wound.

"He stabbed me." She whispered again. The creature rushed to her side, holding her as her legs gave out from under her.

"I don't want to die." The girl whispered, resting her head onto the creature's chest.

"You don't have to" The creature said, tilting her head, exposing the flesh of her neck. "You don't have to." He repeated before he gently buried his fangs into the flesh. She moaned softly and leaned into the embrace.

"The vampire who changed me was named Benjamin Rone. He was not changed by another vampire. His heart and soul were so filled with sadness and revenge that he was somehow resurrected. For two years after his awakening, he hunted for the men that killed him and his daughter." Tabitha said, returning to the side of the bed. "Those men that attacked me were the men Benjamin looked for."

Jeremiah simply started at her, trying to collect his thoughts. No words come to his mouth. He crawled to the side of the bed to Tabitha. He took her hands into his and held them to his chest.

"To save my life, Benjamin changed me into a vampire. I became his daughter that day. That is why I took his last name. After I was well enough to travel, we left England. We traveled all around the world, only staying in one place a few years. For over a hundred and fifty years, Benjamin and I were a family." She paused to keep her tears from falling.

"Then one evening, I woke to find him standing out on the balcony crying. He told me his life was finished and he would be with the daughter he lost. After kissing me goodbye, he poured a bottle of brandy on himself and set him on fire." Tabitha stopped to wipe on escape tear from her cheek. "I had never seen him so happy."

Jeremiah let go her hands and wrapped her body into his arms. His gently lifted her into the bed. In one smooth movement, Jeremiah covered her with his body and covered his body with the bed sheet. Jeremiah kissed her lips.

"I made one last major move" Tabitha started, "to America. I have lived here since, just moved around from state to state. I have lived in New York City for twenty years now. I love the variety."

"Of blood?" Jeremiah asked innocently. Tabitha smiled. A flash of motion, Tabitha rolled him to his back and sat on his stomach.

"No. The variety of people, the variety of life. That's why I was attracted to you. You are different from all the people I have met for the last two centuries."

Jeremiah laughed. Knowing her guard was down; he tossed her naked body playfully across the bed. Jeremiah jumped out the bed and went to the open balcony.

"You are special to me, Jeremiah." She paused to gather a breath. "I know about you having cancer." Her words shot through him hot. His hazel eyes welled up with tears as he turned back to the room. Tabitha stood within the doorframe with a bed sheet around her. "Vampires can sense illness and pain. I have known about it since the first day I saw you at the warehouse. The cancer is throughout your body. How much long did the doctor say?"

"A month with and without treatment; I'm dying young." Tears sled down his face; Jeremiah made no attempt to wipe them away. Tabitha wrapped him in the bed sheet, holding his bare body close to hers.

"I don't want to die." He sobbed, resting his forehead on her shoulder. Tabitha combed her fingers through his hair. She closed her green eyes as she allowed her fangs to slide down against her bottom lip.

"You don't have to." She whispered. Confused, Jeremiah looked at her face. Her eyes, now opened, shone the color of crimson. Her pearl white fangs contrasted greatly with her red lips. "You don't have to." Repeating what she said before. "It is your choice. I will not choose for you."

Jeremiah stood still for a moment or two. Taking a breath, he kissed her. His lips felt the sharpness of her fangs; he made his decision. Tabitha opened her mouth, allowing his tongue to play with hers. Letting the bed sheet to fall to the floor, they entwined their arms around the other.

"Are you ready?" Tabitha asked, breaking the kiss, but not embrace. Jeremiah tilted his head, exposing the vein beneath his flesh. Tabitha licked his neck, a warning to prepare him for the pain. Gently, she buried her fangs into his neck.

"Aww." Jeremiah sighed softly as Tabitha to feed. Jeremiah twisted his fingers into her hair, pushing her closer to his neck. Tabitha felt his pain turned into excitement. After what seemed like hours of passion, Tabitha pulled away from Jeremiah's wound.

"Wow." Jeremiah whispered as his legs gave out from beneath him. Tabitha held him up, resting his head on her shoulder. She smiled, knowing sleep would capture them both soon. Tabitha carried back to the bed; she positioned herself for the second part of the transformation. With her hair pulled to the side, she slipped her fingernail across her throat, causing her undead life liquid to flow from her. Tabitha lowered her neck to Jeremiah.

"Drink." Tabitha said. Her blood had already dripped onto his face. He opened his mouth and licked the blood on his chin. From the base of her throat to the wound, he lapped the blood up like a thirsty dog. He took her broken flesh into his mouth. Gently, but firm, he feed on her.

"Oh." It was Tabitha's turn to moan. The more he fed on her, the more force he used on the wound. Jeremiah began ripping at the wound with his teeth, wanting more of Tabitha. "Jeremiah." She whispered. He pulled away from her throat. Her eyes were heavy from the blood loss.

With a shaky motion of her hand across the wound, it healed instantly without scarring. Jeremiah traced the area where the wound was with his finger. "Are you okay, Tabitha?"

"I'm just weakened that's all. I allowed you to feed more than suppose to. I wanted to make sure the transformation goes smoothly for you. Sometimes, it can be very rough for a mortal." She reached and cupped his chin with her hand. "I don't want you in anymore pain."

Jeremiah, smiling, rolled to his side and cradled Tabitha in his arms. Through the rest of the night and day, they slept soundly. As the night sky fell on the horizon again, Tabitha awoke to find Jeremiah watching her. Jeremiah bent his head and kissed her lips, slightly dragging his fangs on her bottom lip.


End file.
